After a lockerroom talk where Coach Brennan Dean spoke to the lady falcons after their season-ending loss, the girls cried, smiled and laughed, seeming to embrace Dean's description of the moment as a "sliver of your life." From left are ...
— John Gastaldo

Redondo Union stymied a Torrey Pines defense that was continually diving for balls on the court. Here Maddy Kerr, front and Savannah Rennie try their best to defend against Redondo Union's well-placed spikes.
— John Gastaldo

In spite of their early season bonding session, the recovery from injuries just in time for playoffs, and their talent, hardwork and fans, the falcons were unable to capitalize on a Redondo Union team that dispatched them in three games. ...
— John Gastaldo

During their loss to Redondo, Reily Buechler, #3 talked up her teammates some of whom were playing in the last high school volleyball game. Buechler is a junior who will be playing on next year's team.
— John Gastaldo

Erin Dobson, second from right, played a key role in keeping Torrey Pines in the hunt on their way to a great season. She replaced principal setter Ryann Chandler after Chandler sustained a concussion midway through the season. Here she ...
— John Gastaldo

Coach Brennan Dean talks about operating on all six cylinders. One of those cylinders is middle blocker Jennie Frager who helped carry the team into late November contention heading to the CIF State Championships.
— John Gastaldo

Torrey Pines setter Ryann Chandler gets up to the net on this play with middle blocker Jennie Frager ready to spike against El Dorado during Torrey's win in three games against regional rival El Dorado High School.
— John Gastaldo

Torrey Pines girls volleyball coach Brennan Dean, center, holding the Division I CIF San Diego Section trophy, is all smiles with his players after they beat Poway High School in three sets to clinch their division.
— John Gastaldo

Coach Brennan Dean was not above dressing up as an elephant during a pregame walk through the stands with team manager Charlie Poole aka Gumby when Torrey Pines Girls Volleyball team took on Canyon Crest Academy on Halloween.
— John Gastaldo

Coach Brennan Dean addressed his team before they came out against San Diego High School on Torrey Pines' home court. In a preseason retreat, Dean had freshman, junior varsity and varsity team members share with the group what inspires them, ...
— John Gastaldo

Torrey Pines Varsity Girls Volleyball team raised their hands in unity as they played against Scripps Ranch this past November. They defeated them to advance in CIF competition. Coach Brennan Dean used an early season retreat to remind players of ...
— John Gastaldo

Coach Brennan Dean celebrated as his team defeated Scripps Ranch to advance in CIF competition during the second week of November. PrepVolleyball.com ranked Torrey Pines No. 1 in the country because of their strength at every position and their unspoken ...
— John Gastaldo

Brennan Dean is only in his second year as Torrey Pines Girls Varsity Volleyball coach, though he has many years as a player for his alma mater as well as numerous years coaching at the club level. On this particular ...
— John Gastaldo

Teammates Katelyn Cuff #16, Jennie Frager, rear, and Erin Dobson, right, try to rally after rival Westview High School took a game from Torrey Pines, but eventually Westview lost in four.
— John Gastaldo

Torrey Pines's volleyball player Savannah Rennie, center, is an outside hitter and a full rotation player who carries an intensity on and sometimes off the court. Alongside outside hitter Madison Dutra, left, and middle blocker Katelyn Cuff, they form a ...
— John Gastaldo

During a game against Scripps Ranch in mid November, Rennie flashed a rare smile after helping to score a point against Scripps Ranch with teammates Katelyn Cuff, left, Ryann Chandler, Madison Dutar and Reily Buechler. .
— John Gastaldo

Torrey's Girl Falcons ran through an intense two-hour practice in order to beat rival Poway the next night. Most girls will be up late into the night doing homework to keep up their grades, which reflect their playing talent.
— John Gastaldo

During a game on November 9th Torrey Pines' setter Ryann Chandler collided on a play like this one, with middle blocker Katelyn Cuff, at right, leaving Chandler with a concussion and unable to play and changing the lineup at setter, ...
— John Gastaldo

Coach Dean checked on the eyesight of setter Ryann Chandler after a game in which she collided on a play with middle blocker Katelyn Cuff. In spite of the joyful moment, Chandler went home and had all the signs of ...
— John Gastaldo

Torrey Pines' Erin Dobson, #5 replaced principal setter Ryann Chandler, far right, after Chandler suffered a concussion due to a game collision a few weeks earlier. She had to build her own confidence as well as the confidence of teammates ...
— John Gastaldo

Orchestrating an offense composed of five Division I pledges at the Tournament of Champions — one of California’s premiere annual showcases for elite girls volleyball programs — intimidated the senior setter.

“I set them in practice all the time, so I know their styles, but it’s different in matches,” Dobson recalls. “I was quiet. I kept to myself early even though I’m usually a vocal person.”

Prior to the tournament, Torrey Pines was on a path to recovery. The Falcons addressed a bevy of issues — lack of communication, lack of confidence, bickering and verbal and non-verbal jabs — during a team therapy session and were anticipating a return to form on the court.

However, Torrey Pines encountered another challenge. Ryann Chandler, a Pepperdine commit who sustained a concussion against Poway on Oct. 19, hadn’t been cleared to play.

“Ryann is arguably one of our most important players because she touches the ball essentially every single play,” said Falcons coach Brennan Dean.

“She directs our attack. She’s our quarterback in a sense.”

Under Dobson, Torrey Pines squeaked past two league opponents, defeating Mt. Carmel and Rancho Bernardo to extend the winning streak to five matches. The tournament, however, offered a much more daunting challenge.

It fielded four of California’s top 12-ranked teams, including L.A. Marymount, which defeated Torrey Pines 29-27, 25-10 in the California Challenge, dropping the Falcons from their No. 1 ranking in the country.

“The one thing I was worried about was disappointing my team,” Dobson said.

“I didn’t want them to feel like we were going to lose matches because we didn’t have our starting setter.”

Dean knew how difficult it would be without Chandler, but never doubted Dobson’s abilities or that the team could continue its success against top-notch programs. And expressed it in a team meeting.

But Dobson wasn’t so sure. Being thrust into an environment of this magnitude after only starting two matches prior weighed heavily on her.

“I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to provide the standard type of play that (Ryann) provided,” Dobson said.

Her nervousness triggered a couple mistakes in the first game, causing the normally vocal leader to retreat to her shell.

Sets varied. Although some were perfect, many were too low or too high, while others hugged the net, forcing the hitter to adjust and triggering apologies from Dobson.

Regardless, teammates would fire back with “next play” or “forget about it,” attempting to quell Dobson’s worries.

It was an adjustment for everyone. Her teammates were accustomed to Chandler positioning the volleyball in certain spots. She knew their tendencies and sweet spots because they had 19 matches to tweak it.

Dobson and various hitters on the front row didn’t have that luxury. Dobson had to adjust and so did they. It wasn’t going to happen overnight.

“(Sets) weren’t always going to be how you liked them or in the places you liked them, but we had to be patient and try not to get frustrated because it was going to take some time,” said Savannah Rennie, sophomore outside hitter.